 The Network Firm as a Single Real Entity: Beyond the Aggregate of Distinct Legal EntitiesPost-Print from HAL Abstract: This conceptual paper starts with a question regarding the nature of the firm: is the firm a nexus of contracts or a real entity? To answer this question, the article departs from a critique of firm contract theory that usually focuses on moral personification to propose some theoretical foundations of the firm as a real entity. This provides crucial insights for the analysis of modern complex organizations. Then, this paper applies the real entity paradigm to the case of the network firm: is the network firm merely a collection of distinct legal entities or a single real entity? The integrating and unifying role of intra-network power relationships is emphasized, and some legal and economic aspects of the network firm are discussed to clarify the argument that the network firm is a singular real entity composed from distinct legal entities. Considering the network firm as a single real entity has strong policy implications in terms of employment protection rights and politico-legal responsibilities. Keywords: law and economics; network firm; power; real entity; theories of the firm (search for similar items in EconPapers) Published in Journal of Economic Issues, 2011, 45 (1) There are no downloads for this item, see the EconPapers FAQ for hints about obtaining it. Related works: Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:halshs-01372015 Access Statistics for this paper More papers in Post-Print from HAL |
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